Central China (华中) · 11 places · 3 provinces
11 places in Central China, grouped by province. 6 of them expect haggling. The last column also says how much English to expect.
Most common here: Mall district (3), Wholesale market (3), Listed entry (3). See all regions, or the background on shopping.
6 places
Hubei (湖北省)
| Place | City | How it works |
|---|---|---|
| Chuhe Han Street (楚河汉街)A built-to-order commercial street in republican-era style, billed as the first commercial street in China by its developer Wanda. Boats run the canal. SKP opening here moved the district upmarket. | Wuhan | Fixed prices Some English |
| Guangbutun Digital District (广埠屯数码商圈)Described as the largest electronics district in central China, next to the universities, and known locally as Wuhan’s Zhongguancun. | Wuhan | Haggling expected Little or no English |
| Hanzheng Street Fashion Market (汉正街服装市场)Five hundred years of trading, and described as the largest clothing wholesale centre in central China. Hanpai menswear is one of the three regional schools, with Guangdong and Hangzhou. | Wuhan | Haggling expected Little or no English |
| Jianghan Road Pedestrian Street (江汉路步行街)1,600 m long, listed as the longest pedestrian street in China. The buildings date from the concession period and the street is often described as a museum of twentieth-century Wuhan architecture. Reopened after renovation in 2016. | Wuhan | Haggling in some stalls Some English |
| Tanhualin Historic and Cultural District (昙华林历史文化街区)Fifty-odd buildings left from the missionary quarter, now the densest concentration of Wuhan-branded design goods in the city. Cherry-blossom pastry and fridge magnets are the volume sellers. | Wuhan | Haggling in some stalls Little or no English |
| Wuguang Commercial District (Wuhan International Plaza) (武广商圈（武汉国际广场）)The Hankou side of Wuhan, and the busiest district in central China. Wuhan International Plaza holds the luxury trade, and the Wushang group that runs it is the dominant retailer in Hubei. | Wuhan | Fixed prices Some English |
3 places
Henan (河南省)
| Place | City | How it works |
|---|---|---|
| Yinji Plaza (郑州银基广场)Counted among the largest clothing wholesale markets in Asia: 3,000 traders and around 100,000 people through it daily. What sells here sets the direction for central China. | Zhengzhou | Haggling expected Little or no English |
| Yinji Trade City (银基商贸城（银基广场）)A wholesale clothing market of thirty-odd years standing beside Zhengzhou station, and the distribution point for central China. | Zhengzhou | Haggling expected Little or no English |
| Zhengzhou Antiques Market (郑州古玩城)Described as the largest antique market in the central plain, over 1,000 traders: reproductions of Henan excavated pieces, old coins, Tang sancai and local folk objects. | Zhengzhou | Haggling expected Little or no English |
2 places
Hunan (湖南省)
| Place | City | How it works |
|---|---|---|
| Wuyi Square Commercial District (五一广场)The commercial centre of Changsha, with eleven major malls competing inside one district. The Kaws sculpture at IFS is the photo everyone takes, and the Changsha brands people come for, tea shops and themed restaurants, all started here. | Changsha | Fixed prices Some English |
| Fenghuang Miao Silver Street (凤凰古城苗族银饰街)The silver and craft quarter inside Fenghuang. The town is busy, but the wholesale end and the makers’ workshops see few visitors. | Fenghuang | Haggling expected Some English |
Buying Without Overpaying
At a wholesale market the first price is an opening position, and in a mall it is the price. Telling the two apart before you go is most of the skill. Tell our local team what you are after and they will say where it is actually bought and what it should cost.